CBP Entry Fee on the Adirondack, and Safety Instructions

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Woodcut60

Lead Service Attendant
Joined
Jan 13, 2015
Messages
265
Location
Stockholm, Sweden
I’ve just been on a beautiful train trip again, this time crossing the border twice on Amtrak’s Maple Leaf and Adirondack. I was surprised that I had to pay six dollars to enter the U.S. again on the Adirondack. When I told the CBP officer at the border in Rouses Point, NY, that when last year I crossed the border from Vancouver, BC, to Portland, OR, on Amtrak Cascades the entry into the U.S. was free, he just shrugged that of by saying ”You were given a freebee, the fee is six dollars.” I find this a bit strange and not very consistent. Anyone who has more experience, or an explanation?

And another observation: I also rode a Corridor train from Toronto to Montréal and VIA Rail staff is always very meticulous about safety. They gave instructions to an elderly couple that was sitting by the Emergency Exit window, and another staff member asked me to be responsible for the car door in case of an emergency. He showed me how to operate the door. Amtrak never does this. I know that this is the law in Canada, but they are always so very conscious about safety in America. Apparently not here. Any thoughts?
 
Anyone care to adapt the song about Charlie on the MTA for this situation? (... "when he got there the conductor told him one more nickel--Charlie couldn't get off of that train.")
 
Six Dollars to enter the US on Amtrak now????

Say it ain't so Joe!!

This doesn't sound right, can someone from Amtrak verify this As being Official Policy now and why isn't this included in the ticket price if True???
 
Also, to whom is this fee paid? Amtrak? The US federal government? I thought US citizens had an absolute right to enter the US--it's not a privilege for which payment should be required.

Or is this an EXIT fee from Canada, paid to the Canadian government?
 
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There two border crossing fees involved. One applies to all crossers on commercial vehicles which I present here, the other applies only to foreigners (ESTA) which is discussed in another post below.

The one that applies to all entering by commercial vehicles is a US user fee and has been in place for some border crossing, but not all, since 1999. Somewhat facetiously speaking, think of it as a fee for establishing at the border that one is a US citizen
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Irrespective of the theory, in practice the absolute right to enter happens only after the citizenship has been determined and accepted by the CBP agent. Until then everyone is in limbo-land, whether they like it or not. There are several documented cases where a US citizen who could not establish that fact to the satisfaction of a CBP agent at the border went into ICE limbo for a while. So do not take any such right fore-granted in practice. Be ready at the border, to establish with documentation, that you are a citizen. ignore this advice at your own peril.

https://www.cbp.gov/border-security/ports-entry/cargo-security/carriers/air-sea-passenger-user-fees/facthead

One does not normally notice it because it is usually collected by the commercial carrier as part of the ticket charge. But sometimes it is not. In those cases it is collected directly at the border by the border agent.
 
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Woodcut60, are you not a US or Canadian citizen?

Ive overheard on the Adironack them asking for a $6 ESTA (or something like that fee) from non-US or Canadian citizens.
 
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According to that link, it is the responsibility of the carrier.
Indeed it is. But that does not mean that carriers always carry out their responsibility. Since I have never had to pay this fee at the border I suspect that VIA and Amtrak are generally good about it. But one never can know for sure.

Though in this case if Woodcut is not a US citizen or permanent resident, or Canadian citizen or landed immigrant, I suspect it was the ESTA fee which for some reason had not bee previously collected. Coming to think about it, the $6 amount suggests strongly that it is the ESTA fee. The CBP fee for land crossing should be lower than that.
 
Irrespective of the theory, in practice the absolute right to enter happens only after the citizenship has been determined and accepted by the CBP agent. Until then everyone is in limbo-land, whether they like it or not. There are several documented cases where a US citizen who could not establish that fact to the satisfaction of a CBP agent at the border went into ICE limbo for a while. So do not take any such right fore-granted in practice. Be ready at the border, to establish with documentation, that you are a citizen. Ignore this advice at your own peril.
This is 100% correct. International border areas are like a house of mirrors. Just because you can see where you want to go doesn't mean you'll be able to find your way there and back again. Make a wrong turn and you could end up in a detention cell or some off-grid information extraction chamber. Never assume you have any particular legal protection, because in a practical sense you probably don't. This is one of the most important lessons of international travel but many Americans travelers never seem to notice or care that they've entered a legally sanctioned mafia style shakedown zone.
 
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The fee was for I94-W processing. It is standard for anyone not a US or Canadian resident from a visa waiver country, which Sweden is. If he didn't pay it to US CBP before in US immigration processing at Pacific Central Station in Vancouver, they were indeed giving him a freebie.
 
I just did a round trip by bus between New York and Montreal, in order to ride the VIA train to Jonquiere and back.

As a retired bus line employee, I received a free non-revenue bus ticket. At the customs and immigration inspection at the border, I was not charged any fee, and Neither did most others, as far as I noticed. There was a cashier position, but I assumed that was for paying any excess customs fee...

The Company may add a border fee to revenue tickets (Im not sure), and maybe comped me that (kind of doubt it)...
 
I just did a round trip by bus between New York and Montreal, in order to ride the VIA train to Jonquiere and back.

As a retired bus line employee, I received a free non-revenue bus ticket. At the customs and immigration inspection at the border, I was not charged any fee, and Neither did most others, as far as I noticed. There was a cashier position, but I assumed that was for paying any excess customs fee...

The Company may add a border fee to revenue tickets (Im not sure), and maybe comped me that (kind of doubt it)...
As a US resident, based on profile location of Queens, you would not have to complete and submit an I94-W and so would not be charged for one. The I94-W fee is pretty clearly what this was, given that fee is $6 and the OP is from Sweden, a Visa Waiver country. That is a US CBP fee, not an Amtrak fee.
 
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I experienced this on the Canadian a couple of years ago.
The times I've been on VIA I've been the designated safety person on board the car. The cars I didn't like we're the rens. The LRC and Budds are fairly easy even without training. Now me I have actual training from my career so I can do it in my sleep.
 
Thank you all for your comments. I am not a US or Canadian citizen. I have dual citizenship (The Netherlands and Sweden) and I am a resident of Sweden. Both countries are part of the Visa Waiver Program and every two years I have to apply for ESTA, which a couple of years ago was free, but the US government now charges $14. The CBP officer at Rouses Point, NY, said something about the additional fee of $6 and entering the US by land for non-US citizens. But still, it is not consistent, because his colleague in Washington State on the Cascades last summer did not charge me at all. That time it was free to enter the US.

I know there are a few more Europeans who are members of this excellent Forum. Ed (Caravanman) and vv, have you crossed the border by train and been in the same situation?
 
I just did a round trip by bus between New York and Montreal, in order to ride the VIA train to Jonquiere and back.

As a retired bus line employee, I received a free non-revenue bus ticket. At the customs and immigration inspection at the border, I was not charged any fee, and Neither did most others, as far as I noticed. There was a cashier position, but I assumed that was for paying any excess customs fee...

The Company may add a border fee to revenue tickets (Im not sure), and maybe comped me that (kind of doubt it)...
As a US resident, based on profile location of Queens, you would not have to complete and submit an I94-W and so would not be charged for one. The I94-W fee is pretty clearly what this was, given that fee is $6 and the OP is from Sweden, a Visa Waiver country. That is a US CBP fee, not an Amtrak fee.
Interesting that you mention the I-94 form....I have been cruising for a long time, and until about a year ago, we always were required to fill this form out, and hand to the inspector when returning to the US. The last year or so, they told us this was no longer necessary, unless we had exceeded our duty-free allowance...

(we never had to pay any fee when handing in this form, in the past)....

When returning to the US by air, we are always charged a hefty fee in our ticket for customs and immigration, even if we declare zero....even non-revenue, employee travel...
 
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I just did a round trip by bus between New York and Montreal, in order to ride the VIA train to Jonquiere and back.

As a retired bus line employee, I received a free non-revenue bus ticket. At the customs and immigration inspection at the border, I was not charged any fee, and Neither did most others, as far as I noticed. There was a cashier position, but I assumed that was for paying any excess customs fee...

The Company may add a border fee to revenue tickets (Im not sure), and maybe comped me that (kind of doubt it)...
As a US resident, based on profile location of Queens, you would not have to complete and submit an I94-W and so would not be charged for one. The I94-W fee is pretty clearly what this was, given that fee is $6 and the OP is from Sweden, a Visa Waiver country. That is a US CBP fee, not an Amtrak fee.
Interesting that you mention the I-94 form....I have been cruising for a long time, and until about a year ago, we always were required to fill this form out, and hand to the inspector when returning to the US. The last year or so, they told us this was no longer necessary, unless we had exceeded our duty-free allowance...

(we never had to pay any fee when handing in this form, in the past)....

When returning to the US by air, we are always charged a hefty fee in our ticket for customs and immigration, even if we declare zero....even non-revenue, employee travel...
US citizens should not (and I don't think ever did) have to fill out an I-94 (or I-94W) form. The form itself even says US citizens don't need to fill it out.

https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/documents/CBP%20Form%20I-94%20English%20SAMPLE_Watermark.pdf

If you are thinking of the customs declaration form (the blue card), that is completely different.
 
Even the I-94 itself is less commonly seen, for air and sea entry it is on-line, it is unusual for a paper one to be executed. There is a process to retrieve filing/number information for those who need it. It is strictly for those without permanent resident or citizen status. Different than a customs declaration.
 
Yup Railner is confusing Customs Declaration Form 6059B with Form I-94 Arrival/Departure Record or Form I-94W Nonimmigrant Visa Waiver Arrival/Departure Record. US citizens and permanent residents do not get the pleasure of filling an I-94 or I-94W. They do get to do a 6059B unless they are exempted for one of various reasons.

For example, I have not filed a 6059B ever since I got myself onto the Global EntryTrusted Traveler Program, except at border crossing that are not equipped to electronically process Global Entry members, e.g. on Amtrak trains.
 
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I just did a round trip by bus between New York and Montreal, in order to ride the VIA train to Jonquiere and back.

As a retired bus line employee, I received a free non-revenue bus ticket. At the customs and immigration inspection at the border, I was not charged any fee, and Neither did most others, as far as I noticed. There was a cashier position, but I assumed that was for paying any excess customs fee...

The Company may add a border fee to revenue tickets (Im not sure), and maybe comped me that (kind of doubt it)...
As a US resident, based on profile location of Queens, you would not have to complete and submit an I94-W and so would not be charged for one. The I94-W fee is pretty clearly what this was, given that fee is $6 and the OP is from Sweden, a Visa Waiver country. That is a US CBP fee, not an Amtrak fee.
Interesting that you mention the I-94 form....I have been cruising for a long time, and until about a year ago, we always were required to fill this form out, and hand to the inspector when returning to the US. The last year or so, they told us this was no longer necessary, unless we had exceeded our duty-free allowance...

(we never had to pay any fee when handing in this form, in the past)....

When returning to the US by air, we are always charged a hefty fee in our ticket for customs and immigration, even if we declare zero....even non-revenue, employee travel...
US citizens should not (and I don't think ever did) have to fill out an I-94 (or I-94W) form. The form itself even says US citizens don't need to fill it out.

https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/documents/CBP%20Form%20I-94%20English%20SAMPLE_Watermark.pdf

If you are thinking of the customs declaration form (the blue card), that is completely different.

Yup Railner is confusing Customs Declaration Form 6059B with Form I-94 Arrival/Departure Record or Form I-94W Nonimmigrant Visa Waiver Arrival/Departure Record. US citizens and permanent residents do not get the pleasure of filling an I-94 or I-94W. They do get to do a 6059B unless they are exempted for one of various reasons.

For example, I have not filed a 6059B ever since I got myself onto the Global EntryTrusted Traveler Program, except at border crossing that are not equipped to electronically process Global Entry members, e.g. on Amtrak trains.
Yes...you are both correct...that was the form I meant....thanks for the correction.
 
Thank you all for your comments. I am not a US or Canadian citizen. I have dual citizenship (The Netherlands and Sweden) and I am a resident of Sweden. Both countries are part of the Visa Waiver Program and every two years I have to apply for ESTA, which a couple of years ago was free, but the US government now charges $14. The CBP officer at Rouses Point, NY, said something about the additional fee of $6 and entering the US by land for non-US citizens. But still, it is not consistent, because his colleague in Washington State on the Cascades last summer did not charge me at all. That time it was free to enter the US.

I know there are a few more Europeans who are members of this excellent Forum. Ed (Caravanman) and vv, have you crossed the border by train and been in the same situation?
There is a fee for the I94-W for land entry, doesn't matter whether or not you had an ESTA for air/sea entry. You got a freebie in Vancouver. Don't expect it to happen all the time.
 
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